The defines a bully as “one who is habitually cruel, insulting, or threatening to others who are weaker, smaller, or in some way vulnerable.” Adolescence is a difficult developmental stage. It is a time when young people go through intense maturation and deep self-discovery. Every teenager is different and will be faced with unique experiences and lessons during adolescence. Teenagers are notorious for testing limits, experimentation and pushing boundaries. The most frequently relied upon assumptions regarding an individual that bullies others is that the young person may lack self-esteem, impulse control, have anger management issues, seek revenge, and/ or appear as a loner. While those may be accurate in some cases, there are many additional reasons that could contribute to an adolescent bullying others.
It is helpful to have a broad understanding of the typically developing teenage brain, when attempting to understand bullying behaviors. Teenage brains are not yet fully developed. The area that is responsible for rational thought, executive planning, and impulse control is called the prefrontal cortex, which is not fully formed until age twenty-five, at the earliest. Therefore, teenagers innately rely on their amygdala for navigating issues that would otherwise be deciphered via the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is directly associated with emotions, impulses, aggression, and instinctive behavior. Hence, teens initially react to most external stimuli from an emotional (and non rational) standpoint. Of course the brain development of a young person could contribute to bullying behavior.
There is no single reason behind why young people are bullied nor is the underlying reason behind what precipitates a teen to bully others known. There are some possible reasons as to why some teenagers may bully others, which can include, but are not limited to any combination of the following:
Unfortunately, bullying is highly common. There are a myriad of nuanced and specific reasons that directly correlate to each bullying experience. The effects of being exposed to bullying can be immense, depending on the teen. It is important to bear in mind that regardless of which side of the bullying a young person may find him or herself (the aggressor or the victim), both teens are in need of help and support.
Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know is in need of mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769. You can also contact us via email at info@pacifictrtc.com or through our contact form.
PTT provides treatment for the contemporary issues facing teenagers in today’s world utilizing a family focused and collaborative approach providing individualized care for teens and their families. Licensed by the State of California, Community Care Licensing Division #198209636
At a time when most residential programs are affiliated with large healthcare corporations or backed by private equity, Pacific Teen Treatment is proudly a private, family-owned operation.
